Unreasonable guests?

[Gina1746]

Hey guys,

I have hosted a few times and it's been a success everytime:)

But a few days ago I had a guest arrive and in the evening of that day she sent me a message saying my flat was a disaster and listed up 13 things that were problematic. These included a dirty wine glass in the dish washer, a dirty coffee cup on the kitchen counter (it was clean, I had just washed it by hand before leaving), and the hair dryer being plugged into the wall amongst other things. The whole message ended with a rant about it not being safe or hygienic and that they required a full refund etcetc. 

Of course I quickly realised I just wanted them out asap and to just end this experience.. I am however really stressed about my rating:( Right now it is about 5 stars, but I am really scared that they will give me a **bleep** rating. I don't think this is fair considering their complaints were completely off assumptions and also a bit strict? They never even gave me a chance to explain or come and solve what they were unhappy with.

Anyone with similar experience?

[Anonymous]

@Gina1746  I don't know whether your guests had unreasonable expectations, but clearly they weren't a good fit for your home, leaving you with no better option than to terminate the booking. Even if it's hard to read, I do recommend going carefully over the feedback that the guests provided and really taking it in. The small details do add up, and there probably are a few steps you could take that would genuinely improve the cleanliness and presentation of the home. The feedback might also point to ways you can flesh out your listing descriptions to better shape expectations (including things that may not be to everyone's taste) and communicate more effectively in the request phase to weed out guests who aren't a good match.

For what it's worth, it's a known issue among veteran hosts that lived-in living spaces (where the host usually resides, with their belongings present) are perceived by mainstream guests as less "clean" than generic holiday homes - every personal thing they see reminds them of other people being in the space, even if those things have been sanitized. But with some verbal finesse, you can pitch the listing more directly to the niche of travelers who value staying in a real local home as an authentic experience rather than an inconvenience.

You might get a critical review/rating, and Airbnb will automatically generate a scary message to freak you out about it. Ignore that. You can't go back and change a past guest's assumptions; all you can do is focus on shaping your future guests' expectations. It's just part of the job.

[Gina1746]

Yes, and that's exactly what I told the guest too; that there was clearly just a mismatch. Personally I don't see anything wrong with leaving the hairdryer plugged in or leaving one glass in the dishwasher (which would be filled up later or maybe not used). I also have a second hand dining table with permanent "damage" which they also had a problem with. I was apologetic and agreed to give them a refund straight away. It is just very concerning that other guests might believe that my place is a danger for health? When they left they also left all the heating on and with the curtain over it, so it was all a bit strange I think. 

[Gina1746]

And yes of course I value the feedback and in the future I will make sure all those little things are taken care of I guess.

[Anonymous]

@Gina1746  Nothing in there sounds like a health/safety hazard, so that sounds like something the guests should have elaborated on. But perhaps they threw that out there as a threat, to get a refund, rather than out of actual concern.

Small electronics like hairdryers and irons, I always leave them unplugged. Visible, but out of the way. I wouldn't flee the house in a panic if I saw the hairdryer plugged in, but it's generally a good practice in preparing for check-in to unplug it, wrap up the cord and store it neatly away. And while it's no big deal to have a glass sitting around in a shared kitchen, it's better for an Entire Home listing to have all the dishes put away, to signal that the cleaning is complete. These guests may have been fussier than usual, but a lot of people will be put off by those details that signal "someone was just in here using this space." 

[Gina1746]

Yes, I did actually get the impression they didnt think I was living there by the way they spoke to me. 

[Sarah977]

@Gina1746  You need to make it clear in your listing description that you actually live there when you don't have guests.

When you list an entire apartment, guests assume that it is set up just for guests. You need to let them know that there are things of yours there- that it is a "lived in" apartment. That the furniture may have some dings, and so on.

It's important to disclose anything that could be cause for complaint so guests have realistic expectations.

[Gina1746]

Maybe I should be more clear about it? I have always felt that is the vibe I give off, I have a lot of contact with my guests and a lot of them leave "gifts" for me when they leave. I just thought their reaction was a bit extreme.. Most guests (all except these) dont have hotel expectations when staying at either of the places I host. 

I feel like if I write "just so you know, I live here usually so there might be a few things etc" it will seem like I dont clean the place and that it's super messy. That is not the case either.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

@Gina1746   It's depressingly common for people to book without reading the listing or paying much attention to anything. Ask any homestay host, they'll have had at least a few guests who turned up with no clue that they didn't have the whole house to themselves.  The less like a hotel arrangement your home is, the more important it is to communicate what it really is.

Some guests will be put off by a listing that says the listing is your primary home, with some of your things there, and that's exactly what should happen! These are not your target guests, and your listing will never be a match for them. Your optimal guests are fully capable of understanding that staying in a lived-in home does not equal a dirty flophouse with underwear all over the floor. Your apartments look wonderful, but they won't please everyone - don't be afraid to lean hard into their uniqueness and brush off the guests who are looking for something else.

[Gina1746]

This is just so new to me as I've been hosting frequently for 18 months already. I mean isnt the base concept of airbnb renting out your home? And also: it would not take alot of effort from my side to please their requirements either. Should I make a big deal of being clear it is my home when their issues could be solved with just unplugging the hairdryer?

I mean I really agree with you guys, I just thought the whole situation was a bit unfair:( 

[Sarah977]

@Gina1746 " isnt the base concept of airbnb renting out your home?"

No. The original concept was home-sharing, i.e. renting out a room or two in your home, or a renovated garage or granny unit on your property while you are living there, not renting out your home while you vacate it.

But Airbnb has come a long way from there, as I'm sure you are well aware, and now we have faceless vacation properties run by huge property management companies, where guests use self-check-in, there is no personal touch to it at all, no interaction with guests aside from sending them necessary info like door codes and an address.

So that has unfortunately become what many guests have falsely come to expect from listings of entire homes- that it is a rental purely for guests. Even hosts who rent a self-contained suite in their home where they are living, or a cottage out in the yard have had guests show up and be shocked and dismayed that the host actually lives there, even though guests have a completely private space complete with kitchen, private entrance, etc. and the host's don't interact with the guest unless the guest encourages that.

There is a difference in the average attitude of guests in an actual home-share, like I have. Guests have a private bedroom and bathroom and share my kitchen and outdoor areas with me. They understand that if they are sharing the home with the host, of course it will contain the host's belongings, there may be a few of the host's dirty dishes on the counter, there might be some cat hair on a cushion the cat favors, there might be some dust on the living room bookshelf. What they expect to be super clean and set up only for guests is their bedroom and bathroom, if the bathroom is listed as private.

There is a different perception when they rent an entire home, even though it is normally where you live, and what you consider to be sharing, so that is why you have to be clear in your listing info.

It's like a difference between what one would call "sharing" food. You could say, "Help yourself to whatever food you find in the fridge".

But that's a different kind of sharing than inviting someone to sit down with you and eat the meal you just cooked.

What you are doing is fine, just make sure guests understand the nature of the rental. And don't concern yourself too much with clueless, fusspot guests.

[Gina1746]

It is closer to a hotel than apartment sharing though, they do have the whole flat to themselves. My ideal is of course to not have a personal relationship with my guests.

[Sarah977]

@Gina1746  There's no reason why it would be assumed that the place was dirty or messy just because you make it clear that you live there when you don't have guests, and that there will be things of yours there and that the place is therefore homey, cozy and lived in.  

And if I were a guest, I would want clear information, not rely on a "vibe" that the host was renting out their normal living space.

Hosts are often fearful that if they disclose things that might disturb guests (maybe there is traffic noise, or a barking dog next door, or 4 flights if stairs and no elevator) , that they won't get any bookings, but that isn't true. What they will get are guests who book in spite of that and have realistic expections. No one's listing is suitable for everyone, nor should you try to be.

That said, it seems these guests were an aberration, not the norm. If you feel none of their complaints were at all valid, then ignore it, if you can maybe look at cleaning more thoroughly, or making things clearer, do that.

It seems to be inevitable that most hosts have to deal with these petty complainer types, or refund scammers, eventually. It's just the law of averages that the more guests you host, the more likely it is that you will experience a difficult one.

Every business, be it an Airbnb, a hotel, a restaurant, or a shop, get grumbling, annoying or outright rude customers on occasion.

[Anonymous]

@Gina1746  

 "I mean isnt the base concept of airbnb renting out your home? And also: it would not take alot of effort from my side to please their requirements either. Should I make a big deal of being clear it is my home when their issues could be solved with just unplugging the hairdryer?"

This is the base concept for the niche of guests who are best suited to your place. But it is no longer the mainstream, no longer who Airbnb is actively marketing to. The last years have brought thousands of listings for investment properties with no active residents, and hosts who have never met a guest, and this arrangement has totally reshaped what people think it means to "rent an Airbnb." 

If you would rather do things your own way without having to explain yourself or check up on guests' expectations, it's totally your right to do so. You have a nice place in a very demanded neighborhood, and it's always going to get booked. But when you posed your question, you expressed some concern about reviews and ratings. So surely you can see how your goals might be in opposition. If you care about ratings, you have to work hard to set correct expectations and then exceed them. If you don't care about that stuff, do whatever you want. You live in Oslo, you'll be fine.

[Gina1746]

to be honest, in the future i think i will just make sure all those small things are taken care of and continue as i have. All the guests i have hosted till now have not had a problem with the flat being a personal one as long as its clean etc.